St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
KILRAIN AT HOME,
THE LIFE AND HISTORY OF THE
GREAT PUGILIST.
How He Taught His Scholars and How He
Trained for Fights-His Family and His
Companions-Murphy His Red-headed
Shadow-His Encounter With Smith.


Jake Kilrain and Jem Smith fought a
prize-fght for the championship of the
world and $4,000 on the Island of ST.
Pierre, France, recently. After fighting
106 rounds the battle was declared draw
on account of the darkness.
Every one who met Jake kilrain in Great
Britain was surprised at his gentlemanly
bearing and quiet manner. The English
have been SO used to tough specimens of the
sporting class that to see one who was mod
est or quiet in his conduct was indeed
revelation. Jake kilrain, however, has al
ways held Il good reputation among his
class; in fact, he has been known as 1.-The
gentlemanly pugilst." His neat appear
ance, good clothes and his tall silk hat,
which he always wears, have become familiar
to his acquaintance i'll this country.
In Baltimore, where he resided for nearly
two years prior to his fight, he was not only
well-known but won for himself universal
respect. Kilrain's reputation as a trainer
while he was still a resident of Boston be-
coming known to several prominent Balti-
they needed to instruct them in the manly
art, and after short canvass among mer-
chants and clubmen it was decided to have a
Crib Club similar to that which existed at
the time in Boston, and a committee was
sent over to the Hub to secure kilrain for
trainer. The club soon had a large roll of
membership and kilrain was installed. The
dues for membership were fifteen dollars
per annum, and the instructor furnished
each member with twenty lesson
tickets for ten-dollar note His style
of teaching was decidedly different from that
of the usual gymnasium instructors his
superb cleverness made him popular even
with his most advanced pupils, and he permit
ted them to fire away at him to their hearts
content. The result was soon apparent
in the manner in which the men,
bers took care of themselves phvsi-
cally. He had not been long in Baltimore
before he developed desire for aquatics,
and this fancy led him to become the in
structor of the Aerial Rowing Club, of that
city, and for the balance of his stay he cred
itably filled the two positions. As he was
well pleased with Baltimore, he brought his
family down from Boston and began house
keeping on Wilson street near PENNSYLVANIA
avenue. His family consisted of his wife,
a son about two years of age and daugh-
ter about eight years. He was also accompa-
MED by his sister. The latter is perhaps the
most enthusiastic admirer that the great Kill
rain ever had and when he or MY Johnnie"
as his sister called him, was going to fight
she could never be convinced but what he
would win sure, whereas Mrs. Kilrain was
rather more philosophic, and while she
claimed Jake to be great fighter
she always fortified herself in case he
was defeated by telling her friends
that every man has to meet his
master sooner or later Kilrain takes
great delight in his home, and is a
kind and proud father He is good Judge
of human nature, and selected for COM
panion a little red-haired specimen of man
hood in Johnnie Murphy, of Boston, and had
him with him most of the time Murphy
was such diminutive fellow that the Crib
Club members looked incredulous when
the big man told them that he was clever
feather-weight fighter, capable of knocking
out any of the Baltimore light-weights. To
test matters, Billy Young, fair light
weight, was matched to spar Murphy few
rounds with small gloves. The fight took
place at the Crib Club before a select few,
and when it was over the little fellow
was not bruised, and the Baltimore boy pre-
sented a terrible appearance. Two days
after the fight the two principals and Kill
rain were arrested, and after spending a
night at the station-house the three were put
under bail. Kilrain's next effort was with
a selected scholar of his school, whom he
matched with member of the Baltimore
Athletic Club
In this contest his man got done up in
short order. In a prize-fght at Point of
Rocks between Pete Lally and Al Hartman,
two Baltimore middle-weights, Kilrain Off
ciated as timer. In this fight the principals
and spectators were naked, as they had to
swim a stream to reach the fighting ground. |
He trained in and near Baltimore for his |
fights with Jack Ashton, Joe Lannon and |
Frank Herald, all of which he won. On |
one occasion Kilrain and Murphy were both |
training and went to Druid Hill Park for |
run. On reaching the high service reservoir
Murphy donned his sweater and started to
run, when son of Erin, who was at work
remarked to Jake that ''he ought
not to let his son make fool of himself" and
when Jake started off the man dropped his
shovel and yelled out to him, ''Sure and you
are bigger fool than your son." In both
clubs he was great favorite, his pecu-
isrity being his modest demesnor and gen.
5lemanly bearing, never boasting of his own
merits, and at all times willing to give credit
where it belonged. Naturally he is one of the
pest authorities on sporting events, and is
entertaining, as he can give
iates and facts of every prominent event for
many years past. A few weeks before he
ailed for Europe he removed his family to
New Bedford, Mass, where they now are.
N letters to friends in Baltimore he says he
will return there to reside permanently,
hough it il doubtful if he will refuse
he tempting offer of instructor for
he new athletic club, in Boston,
which it is said will be rendered him.
lie is very abstemious in his habits;